How to Ask for What You Want–And Get It

Brazen Life

Sep. 19, 2013, 1:00 PM

Whether you're negotiating your salary, hoping to snag a new freelance client or simply trying to get a coworker to pitch in more on a team project, knowing how to successfully ask for want you want is a crucial skill to have in your career toolbox.

But so much goes into a good "ask" that it can be intimidating-and confusing. How do you phrase it? When do you ask? How do you set yourself up for a yes?

On her site It Starts With, Sarah K. Peck recently posted a master course on the art of asking for what you want-and getting it. As she writes:

There seems to be a magical art behind creating a great ask, and we all know stories of people who seem to get exactly what they want whenever they ask. Magicians who bend and will the world to their ways. Why is this? What are they doing that no one else seems to be doing? How do they ask for what they want and seem to get it every time?

Culturally, it's not always the norm to ask directly for what you want-or we do a terrible job of it (and women are worse, according to The New York Times). Instead of specifying what we want, we hem and haw about ideas, often walking away from great conversations without clearly articulating our message, what we hope to achieve, and how the other person can directly help us.

To read the full post on to how to get what you ask for-including persuasion tactics, example scripts and other great tips-click here.